Stroke Risk Factors & Prevention

In this Section

Anyone can have a stroke regardless of race, age, or gender. Hispanics
and African Americans have a slightly higher risk. The best way to
prevent stroke is to manage the risk factors.

The risk factors for stroke that can be controlled or changed include:

High blood pressure
This is the single most important risk factor. Know your blood pressure
and have it checked at least once every two years, or more often if it
is above the normal range. It should be lower than 140/90 mm Hg.

Tobacco useCigarette smoking is the number one preventable risk factor
for stroke. Do not smoke or use other forms of tobacco. The nicotine and
carbon monoxide in tobacco smoke reduce the amount of oxygen in your
blood. They also damage the walls of blood vessels, making clots more
likely to form. The use of some oral contraceptives combined with
cigarette smoking greatly increases stroke risk.

Diabetes mellitusWhile diabetes is treatable, having it still increases a
person’s risk for stroke. People with diabetes often also have high
blood pressure, high blood cholesterol and are overweight, increasing
their stroke risk even more. If you have diabetes, work closely with
your doctor to manage it.

Carotid or other artery diseaseThe carotid arteries in your neck supply blood to your brain.
A carotid artery narrowed by fatty deposits from atherosclerosis may
become blocked by a blood clot. Peripheral artery disease is the
narrowing of blood vessels carrying blood to leg and arm muscles. People
with peripheral artery disease have a higher risk of carotid artery
disease, which raises their risk of stroke.

Atrial fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation raises the risk for stroke because the heart’s upper
chambers quiver instead of beating effectively. This lets the blood pool
and clot. If a clot breaks off, enters the bloodstream and lodges in an
artery leading to the brain, a stroke results.

Other heart diseasePeople with coronary heart disease or heart failure have more
than twice the risk of stroke as those with hearts that work normally.
Dilated cardiomyopathy (an enlarged heart), heart valve disease and some
types of congenital heart defects also raise the risk of stroke.

Sickle cell anemia
Sickle cell anemia is a genetic disorder that mainly affects
African-American and Hispanic children. “Sickled” red blood cells are
less able to carry oxygen to the body’s tissues and organs. They also
tend to stick to blood vessel walls, which can block arteries to the
brain and cause a stroke.

High blood cholesterolA high level of total cholesterol in the blood (240 mg/dL or
higher) is a major risk factor for heart disease, which raises your risk
of stroke. Recent studies show that high levels of LDL (“bad”)
cholesterol (greater than 100 mg/dL) and triglycerides (blood fats)
directly increase the risk of stroke in people with prior coronary heart
disease, ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA). Low levels
of HDL (“good”) cholesterol (less than 40 mg/dL) also may raise stroke
risk.

Physical inactivity and obesity
Being inactive, obese or both can increase your risk of high blood
pressure, high blood cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease and stroke. So
go on a brisk walk, take the stairs, and do whatever you can to make
your life more active for a total of at least 30 minutes on most days.

Excessive alcohol
An average of more than one alcoholic drink a day for women or more than
two drinks a day for men raises blood pressure and can lead to stroke.

Illegal drug useIntravenous drug abuse carries a high risk of stroke. Cocaine
use has been linked to strokes and heart attacks. Some have been fatal
even in first-time users.

These are the risk factors that you cannot modify or change:

Increasing age - Stroke happens to
people of all ages, including children. But the older
you are, the greater your risk for stroke.

Gender

Stroke is more common in men than in women.
In most age groups, more men than women will have a stroke in a
given year. However, more than half of total stroke deaths occur
in women. Women who are pregnant have a higher stroke risk. So
do women taking birth control pills who also smoke or have high
blood pressure or other risk factors.

Heredity and race - Your stroke risk is greater
if a parent, grandparent, sister or brother has had a stroke.
African Americans have a much higher risk of death from a stroke
than Caucasians do. In part, this is because blacks have higher
risks of high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity.

Prior stroke - Someone who has had a stroke is
at a much higher risk of having another one. If you have had a
stroke, it is even more important to make healthy lifestyle
changes and modify your controllable risk factors (with your
doctor’s help). If you have had a heart attack, you are at a
higher risk of also having a stroke.